Velocipede-frame.



Nuo. 736,527.

PATENTED AUG. 18, 1903. E. G. LATTA. l VELOGIPEDB FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1901.

n'omonm..

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATBNTBD AUG. 1s, 1903.

' E.G.LATTA.

VELOGIPBDE FRAME. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1901.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H0 MODEL.

Tn: mams Param co. vuovomrno. muuu-crow, u. c.

NTTED STATES Patented August 18, 1903.

EMMIT G. LATTA, OF FRIENDSHIP, NEV YORK.

VELOClPEDE-FRAME.

SPECIFICATION :forming part of Letters Patent N o. 736,527, dated August18, 1903. Application filed January 2l, 1901, Serial No. 44,048. (Nomodel.)

To a/ZZ whom t may con/cern,.-

Be it known that I, EMMIT G. LATTA, a citizen of the United States,residing at Friendship, in the county of Allegany, in the State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Velocipede-Frames, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce at comparatively small cost alight crankhanger bracket of small dimension which has a smooth exteriorand in which the bracket or connection between the meeting frame membersis so combined with the hanger-tube that these parts mutually brace andstrengthen each other and form a secure connection between the framemembers.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of three sheets, Figure 1 is aside elevation of the hanger-bracket and the'adjoining frame members asapplied to a frame of the most approved type. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsection in line 2 2, Fig. 1, looking upward. Fig. 3 is a transversevertical section in line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a detached inside viewof one of the bracket-plates. Fig. 5 is a vertical section in line 5 5,Fig. l, looking rearwardly. Fig. 6 is a similar section in line 6 6,Fig. 1, looking forwardly. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a modifiedconstruction of the hanger-bracket. Fig. Sis a longitudinal section inline 8 S, Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a transversevertical section in line 9 9,Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section in line l0 10, Fig. 7. Fig. 1lis a detached end View of one of the bracket-plates of the hanger shownin Fig. 7. Fig. 12 is a similar view of the clip which connects saidbracket-plates. Fig. 13 is a side elevation of another modifiedconstruction of the hanger-bracket. Fig. 14 is a longitudinal section inline 11 14, Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a transverse vertical section in line 1515, Fig. 14. Fig. 16 is a detached outside view of one of thebracket-plates of the lastmenticned modification. Fig. 17 is an end viewthereof.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

Referring to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6, A is thecylindrical hanger-tube; B, the reach member; C, the diagonal framemember,extending upwardly from the h angertube, and D the rear-forkmembers. The latter are preferably of oval cross-section, and all of theother frame-tubes are of circular cross-section. The hanger-tubepreferably consists of a piece of seamless tubing which is provided inits side wall with openings through which the various frame members passinto the hanger, the hanger having as many openings as there areframe-tubes and the openings being of such size and form and arranged asmay be required by the type and form of the frame to which the hanger isapplied. The ends of the radiating frame-tubes are preferably cut offsquare, and the end of the intermediate tube O is notched or slightlycut away at its front side, as shown by dotted linesl in Fig. 3, topermit it lo fit over the adjacent end of the reach tube B. The bracketwhich connects the meeting ends of the frame members B O D consists inits preferred form of two plates E E of seg mental or nearly circularform, which are arranged transversely in the hanger-tube A on oppositesides of said frame members. These bracket-plates are of the proper sizeto closely fit the inner side of the hanger-tube and are-provided intheir inner sides with grooves, sockets, or depressions @,in which thecontiguous sides of the frame members B, C, and D are seated and securedby brazing or otherwise, as most clearly shown in Figs. 2, 5, and 6. Bythis construction the cavities or depressed portions of thebracket-plates form sockets which partly surround the portions of themeeting frame members within the hanger. If desired, these sockets ordepressions may be made of sufficient depth to permit the plates to meetat the center of the hanger; but they preferably embrace only abouttwo-fifths of the circumference of the frame membersv on each side, sothat about four-fifths of the circumference of each frame member isbrazed to the two bracket-plates. The central portions of thebracket-plates are cut away for the passage of the crank-shaft, whichlatter is shown by dotted lines. The

outer edges of the plates are brazed to the inner side of thehanger-tube, and in order to increase the area of the brazing-surface atthis point the plates are provided with outwardlyturned flanges e',which conform to the inner surface of the hanger-tube and are brazedthereto. These flanges are omitted from the IOO rear portions of thebracket-plates, which rest against the outer sides of the rear-forktubes D, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, to permit the usual bearing-cups toabut against the bracketplates. The flanges c of the bracket-plates alsoserve to stien these plates and reinforce the hanger-tube where the sameis weakened by the apertures for the frame members. f representsinwardly-turned lips arranged at the inneredges of the bracket-plates E-and embracing the inner ends of the frame-tubes B, C, and D, therebyholding the bracketplates in close contact with the tubes in brazing theparts together. These lips also form` stops which prevent thefframemembers from being inserted too farinto the hanger. The frame membersare held in their seats in the bracket-plates by transverse pins g inthe usual manner of brazing such parts. H is a clip or strip of sheetmetal which connects the ends of the rear-fork tubes D within thehanger-tube and secures the same to the latter. This clip is brazed tosaid members, and its central portion is approximately U -shaped andtted against the inner surface of the hanger-tube and the inner sides ofsaid forktubes. The clip is provided with rearwardlybent branches h,which bear against the inner surfaces of the fork-tubes and forminternal reinforcements for the same. In assembling the several partsfor brazing the clip H is first placed in the hanger-tube A with itsbranches h projecting through the rear openings thereof. Thebracket-plates E are then placed in the hanger-tube from opposite endsthereof and forced inwardly until their sockets or seats c register withthe openings of the hanger-tube, after which the several frametubes areinserted and driven into their seats until arrested by the stop-lipsf.The parts are finally pinned and brazed in the customary way. Thisconstructionproduces au inexpensive and reliable bracket or connectionfor the frame-tubes, which is concealed Within the hanger-tube and whichpermits the employment of a light, smooth, and comparatively smallhanger-tube. y The bracketplates E and the hanger-tube A are so combinedthat the plates reinforce the hangertube, while the latter givesadditional support to the frame members and effectsa more secureconnection of the several adjoining parts than can be obtained with anordinary hanger of the same weight. The construction of thishanger-bracket is, moreover, adapted to the most approved method ofbrazing, effecting an important economy in labor in cleaning the framefor enameling. While I prefer to employ two bracket-plates E, applied toopposite sides of the frame-tubes, a single bracket-plate may beemployed, if desired.

In Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 my hangerbracket is shown as applied toathree-crown bicycle-frame in which the three frame-tubes that radiatefrom the hanger are arranged in the same plane. In this modifiedconstruction the flanges e of the first-described construction areomitted and the socketed bracket-platesE are preferably constructed tonearly meet in the center of the hanger. To afford'increasedbrazing-surface, the end portions t of these plates and the portions 1l'thereof between the frame members are eX- tended inwardly and fittedagainst the contiguous inner wall of the hanger-tube, as shown in Fig.lO. Instead of the stop-lips f of the construction previously describedan approximately sector-shaped clip J is employed, which bears againstthe inner edges of the bracket-plates F. and the lower portion of thehanger-tube, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9. This clip is provided at itsedges with outwardly-extending anges j, which overlap the inner edges ofthe bracket-plates, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, thereby holding theseplates against the outer sides of the frame members. The end portionsjof the clip J are reduced in width, as shown in Figs. 8 and 12, and meetin a butt-joint in the lower portion of the hanger-tube. To assemble theparts of this modified hangerbracket, the clip J is contracted bylapping. its narrowed end portions over each other. In this conditionthe clip is placed in position between the bracket-plates with itsliangesj overlapping the plates, and the end portions of the clip arethen sprung or spread until their ends abut. The entire bracket can nowbe passed into the hanger-tube from either end thereof, and afterinserting the bracket the frame members are placed in position in themanner hereinbefore described. The clip J serves as a stop for the framemembers and also ties the bracket-plates together.

In the modified construction shown in Figs.

y 13 to 17 the front and rear frame members are arranged at uniformangles to the intermediate frame member. The bracket-plates E2 are alikeand interchangeable and consist of centrally-perforated disks whichconform to the outer sides of the frame members and bear around theirentire periphery against the inner side of the hanger tube. Thebracket-plates are provided at the angles of the frame members with flator plane pork 7o', and their lower portions are similarly flattened, asshown at k2. The hanger-tube is provided immediately on the outer sidesof the bracket-'plates with internal annular beads l, which permanentlyretain the plates in position. These beads are formed in the hangertubeafter properly placing the bracketplates in the hanger. The ends of theframe members in this modification are cut 0E, as shown in Fig. 15, thefront and rear members being cut obliquely andv the intermediate membercut square.

In brazing either of the several forms of my hanger-bracket to the framemembers it is only necessary to submerge the bracket in thebrazing-crucible sufficiently to cover the hanger-tube, and there istherefore much less IOC IIO

spelter to clean o the frame-tubes than is the case where the tubes arejoined to the outer side of the hanger. As the bracketplates areentirely concealed by the hanger, the crank-shaft, and theshaft-bearings, no labor whatever is required upon the bracket afterbrazing the saine. The ends of the pins used in brazing require noattention, and in case one end of a pin is not brazed the defect is notvisible, as it would be if the pin Were exposed on the outer side of thehanger. The constructions shown in Figs. l to 17 are considerably lessexpensive to manufacture than the hanger-bracket with projecting lugsnow in general use, and they are so much more compact that about twiceas many can be shipped in a packing-case of a given size.

The hanger and the bracket While rigidly connected and mutuallysupporting each other are yetindependent, so that in case thehanger-tube should break the bracket would still unite the frame membersand save the rider from falling. This is an important advantage over theordinary hanger-bracket, which is built into the frame and allows theframe members to separatein case the hangertube becomes broken.

I claim as my invention- 1. A hanger-bracket consisting of ahangertubehaving openings in its side Wall for the passage of a plurality of framemembers, and a union or bracket plate arranged transversely in saidhanger-tube and provided in its side with sockets or depressions whichregister with the openings in the hanger-tube and brazed to the adjacentend portions of the frame members, and at its outer edge Withlaterally-extending lips or flanges which are brazed to the innersurface ofthe hangertube, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a tubular hanger having openings in its sideWall, of frame members extending through said openings into the hanger,bracket plates arranged transversely in the hanger and provided withsockets or depressions which receive the adjacent end portions of theframe members, and stops arranged to limit the inward movement of saidframe members in said socket, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a tubular hanger having openings in its sideWall, of frame members extending through said openings into the hanger,and bracket-plates arranged transversely in the hanger and provided withsockets or depressions which receive the adjacent end portions of theframe members and stop-lips formed at the inner edge of saidbracket-plates against which the adjacent ends of said frame membersabut, substantially as set forth.

fitness myhand this 11th day of January, 1901. l

EMMIT G. LATTA.

lVitnesses:

B. J. RICE, CHAS. J. RICE.

